When you fly out for a tropical vacation, your suitcase full of Hawaiian shirts isn’t the only precious cargo in the belly of the plane. Manufacturers and other shippers use passenger aircraft to ship important goods across long distances on tight deadlines.
Freight forwarders play an essential role in shipping air freight, especially when shipping on passenger aircraft. Here’s an A-to-Z breakdown of how shipping via passenger planes works, and why an experienced freight forwarder makes all the difference.
What is a freight forwarder?
Vetted, approved, and regulated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), freight forwarders arrange and oversee every stage of air cargo shipping on behalf of their customers – shippers, manufacturers, and distributors.
As a DHS approved freight forwarder with 30+ years of experience, Shaker Logistics handles everything for shippers from the initial pickup to final delivery, managing tracking, communication, documentation, and compliance along the way.
This support is essential, and legally required, for shipping on passenger planes. Only freight forwarders authorized by the DHS can tender shipments directly to passenger airlines.
When shippers need important goods to move quickly over long distances, they rely on Shaker to make sure their freight arrives right where it needs to be, right when it needs to be there.
Air freight in action
One of Shaker’s customers needed to ship a valuable medical device from their repair facility in New York back to a hospital in California, where it was used daily to save lives. As there was no time to spare, the shipper turned to Shaker.
After checking rates and timelines across various cargo and passenger airlines, Shaker determined the fastest way to return the device to the hospital would be in the belly of a passenger plane. From pickup to delivery, here’s how Shaker used air freight to deliver a life-saving medical device across the country overnight.
Leg 1: Loading dock to tarmac
Once the shipment is tendered, the freight is picked up by a local agent via truck or van and delivered to a nearby airport.
Pickup and delivery agents need to be carefully vetted, not only because the freight itself is valuable but because any party shipping through U.S. airports needs to be cleared by the TSA.
As a freight forwarder Shaker has special TSA clearance to handle air cargo, and we have a network of TSA Certified carriers, as well as several fleet drivers, that are authorized to pick up and deliver at airports.
For this important medical device shipment, Shaker chose a trusted carrier from our TSA Certified network with high safety scores and experience handling sensitive medical devices. The agent delivered the medical device to the nearest airport for the next phase of transit.
Leg 2: The airline
At the airport, all cargo is screened by the TSA, so air freight packaging must be designed to be scanned and potentially opened. Once the medical device clears security, it’s ready to be loaded onto the next available flight to California.
Not all air freight leaves on the Next Flight Out (NFO). Airlines each have their own service tiers that fit different timeline requirements, from standard shipping for less urgent moves to NFO for the fastest possible transit. Cost usually increases with speed.
Emergency equipment deliveries are often booked at the NFO level for same day or overnight delivery. Shaker’s air freight team chooses the most efficient flights available, whether it be a steady direct flight or a series of connecting flights to move the freight quickly to its destination. If a flight gets delayed or cancelled, the airline automatically rebooks the freight for the next available flight to the destination.
Shaker’s team tracks the medical device as it flies, keeping the customer updated throughout. NFO freight has priority unloading, so as soon as the plane lands in California, the medical device is offloaded and ready to make the final leg of the journey.
Leg 3: Final mile
As the plane lands, a TSA Certified agent chosen and vetted by Shaker arrives on site to pick up the medical device from the airline. From there, the carrier (also known as an agent) loads the device into a box truck and delivers it immediately to the hospital, where it can be used in life-saving procedures. Without a freight forwarder, this shipper might have had to rely on the limited availability of cargo planes, or ship with a more costly, less efficient ground transportation option.
Freight forwarders are a necessary partner for shipping via passenger aircraft, but they also streamline the air freight process for shippers. We manage relationships with countless agents across the country, giving shippers access to capacity anywhere they need it. We also absorb all the time and effort that goes into compliance and vetting, allowing shippers to focus on other aspects of the supply chain.
Rely on an experienced freight forwarder like Shaker to help you deliver quickly, on time, and stress-free. Reach out to our team today for your air freight needs.